Written Answers Monday 23 January 2006

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been for the supply of alcohol to under-age customers in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Colin Boyd QC: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database records details of the charges against each accused in terms of the specific common law or statutory offence that is alleged to have been committed. The following table shows the total number of charges reported in the last three financial years where procurators fiscal commenced court proceedings for contraventions of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, Section 68(1)&(7) which relate to a licensee or agent or employee selling alcohol to a person under 18 years.

  Court Proceedings Commenced: Contraventions of Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, Section 68(1)&(7)

  

Police Force Area
Financial Year
2002-03
Financial Year
2003-04
Financial Year
2004-05
% Change 
2002-03 
to 2003-04
% Change 
2003-04 
to 2004-05


Central Scotland Police
6
17
13
+183%
-24%


Dumfries and Galloway Police
2
5
11
+150%
+120%


Fife Constabulary
25
4
4
-84%
0%


Grampian Police
14
1
2
-93%
+100%


Lothian and Borders Police
16
14
21
-13%
+50%


Northern Constabulary
0
4
11
N/a
+175%


Strathclyde Police
46
70
81
+52%
+16%


Tayside Police
6
7
3
+17%
-57%



  Notes: 1. The information in this table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges. 2. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service completed an upgrade of its electronic case management system in April 2002. Only case records created after that date contain complete data which is capable of electronic analysis.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 (Official Report, c. 22131), what further meetings have taken place between the Executive and the UK Government since the meeting between Executive and Home Office senior officials on 16 December 2005 regarding policies relating to the removal of failed asylum seeker families.

Robert Brown: The First Minister met the Home Secretary on 17 January 2006. A further meeting of officials took place on 16 January 2006.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 ( Official Report , c. 22131), when the next meeting between officials or ministers of the Executive and the UK Government will take place regarding policies relating to the removal of failed asylum seeker families.

Robert Brown: Discussions are positive and on-going. We expect further meetings of officials to take place in the next two weeks.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 ( Official Report , c. 22131), whether the issue of the length of time spent in Scotland by the children of asylum seeker families will be discussed during any of the scheduled meetings between the Executive and the UK Government regarding the removal of failed asylum seeker families.

Robert Brown: A number of issues have been discussed in the meetings which have taken place between the Executive and the UK Government. We are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues. We will report developments to Parliament as soon as we are able to.

Asylum Seekers

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8596 by Robert Brown on 22 December 2005 ( Official Report , c. 22131), when a statement will be made to the Parliament regarding any agreement reached as the result of the meetings which have taken place between the Executive and the UK Government regarding the removal of failed asylum seeker families.

Robert Brown: Discussions with the Home Office are progressing well. We are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues and will report developments to Parliament as soon as we are able to.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10217 by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 September 2004, how the £20 million was allocated to each NHS board; how the allocations were applied, and what impact these had on waiting times for audiology appointments.

Lewis Macdonald: The following table details the breakdown of the funds allocated to modernise and improve audiology services:

  

 
2003–04
2004–05
2005-06
Totals


Argyll and Clyde
226,000
587,000
633,000
1,446,000


Ayrshire and Arran
201,000
357,000
324,000
882,000


Borders
39,000
115,000
146,000
300,000


Dumfries and Galloway
80,000
265,000
125,000
470,000


Fife
39,000
147,000
309,000
495,000


Forth Valley
111,000
125,000
234,000
470,000


Grampian
181,000
771,000
458,000
1,410,000


Greater Glasgow
699,000
1,177,000
1,064,000
2,940,000


Highland
108,000
264,000
311,000
683,000


Lanarkshire
336,000
395,000
478,000
1,209,000


Lothian
451,000
329,000
378,000
1,158,000


Orkney
7,000
0
97,000
104,000


Shetland
5,000
0
75,000
80,000


Tayside
246,000
623,000
344,000
1,213,000


Western Isles
38,000
81,000
65,000
184,000


NHS Education for Scotland
100,000
463,000
0
563,000


Totals
2,867,000
5,699,000
5,041,000
13,607,000



  The direct allocations to each NHS board area for 2003-06 cover expenditure on accommodation, information technology, digital hearing aids and training of staff to use the modernised patient journey.In addition there has been expenditure of £1,264,000 on national staff training events and other central staff costs.Final allocations to boards for 2006-07 have yet to be decided.Waiting times have been reduced in most NHS boards. An important part of the modernisation agenda is focussed on monitoring and encouraging the reduction in waiting times and providing support to boards where required.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the audiology waiting times are in each NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collected by the National Waiting Times Unit as audiology is not a consultant-led service. Information Services Division has developed a data collection system for audiology services which is currently being tested to ensure quality assurance. This will produce centrally collected, validated data for publication.

Breastfeeding

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what breastfeeding rates have been in each (a) maternity unit and (b) NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not centrally held. However, data is available for those NHS boards using the Child Health Surveillance Programme – Pre School and I attach this information in the following table:

  Table 1: Percentage of Mothers Recorded as Breastfeeding at the Six to Eight Week Review: Year of Birth 2000-04

  

Year of Birth
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Argyll and Clyde
31.4
32.6
32.7
31.6
31.7


Ayrshire and Arran
31.9
28.7
29.8
27.5
29.4


Borders
45.5
48.1
49.1
47.9
47.2


Dumfries and Galloway
..
37.1
35.9
38.1
36.0


Fife
34.3
34.1
37.5
36.2
35.7


Forth Valley
32.0
31.6
32.3
32.5
30.8


Greater Glasgow
33.4
33.7
35.9
35.4
35.9


Lanarkshire
24.5
24.3
26.1
26.1
25.8


Lothian
47.0
46.1
47.1
47.7
47.0


Tayside
39.2
38.4
39.6
38.1
37.0


All Health Boards on System
35.4
35.1
36.4
36.1
35.7



  Source: CHSP-PS, ISD Scotland, November 2005.The system was not implemented until end of 2000 and therefore data are not available.Information on individual hospitals has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre at (Bib. number 38623).

Breastfeeding

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the breastfeeding duration rates have been in the last five years in the fullest and most detailed form available.

Lewis Macdonald: A table detailing breastfeeding duration rates has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38624). This covers those NHS boards using the Child Health Surveillance Programme – Pre School (CHSP-PS) and gives details for those children who have received an eight to nine month pre-school review.

Cancer

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21240 by George Lyon on 14 December 2005, how many deaths from cancer there have been within each former European parliamentary constituency in each year since the Chernobyl incident, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the question S2W-21936 answered on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The following tables provide the absolute number of deaths from cancer between 26 April 1986 and 31 December 2004 by former European parliamentary constituency and NHS board.

  Deaths from Cancer1 Between 26 April 1986 and 31 December 2004, by Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board

  

Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board
1986 
(part)
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992


Scotland
9,819
14,650
14,720
14,917
14,957
14,876
15,132


Central Scotland
1,206
1,802
1,797
1,847
1,983
1,898
1,889


 
Ayrshire and Arran
147
179
182
226
225
200
214


Forth Valley
287
407
419
396
410
412
379


Greater Glasgow
34
48
47
54
58
63
48


Lanarkshire
738
1,168
1,149
1,171
1,290
1,223
1,248


Glasgow
1,773
2,653
2,513
2,579
2,548
2,493
2,577


 
Greater Glasgow
1,773
2,653
2,513
2,579
2,548
2,493
2,577


Highlands and Islands
752
1,117
1,160
1,177
1,199
1,151
1,188


 
Argyll and Clyde
133
210
208
220
185
186
208


Grampian
134
197
216
202
207
203
223


Highland
342
542
512
575
624
566
551


Orkney
35
39
64
50
44
43
42


Shetland
37
44
62
35
55
53
56


Western Isles
71
85
98
95
84
100
108


Lothians
1,262
1,855
1,926
1,843
1,932
1,894
1,940


 
Lothian
1,262
1,855
1,926
1,843
1,932
1,894
1,940


Mid Scotland and Fife
1,165
1,760
1,794
1,789
1,720
1,800
1,823


 
Fife
615
905
937
985
921
955
995


Forth Valley
243
356
380
321
322
349
358


Tayside
307
499
477
483
477
496
470


North East Scotland
1,246
1,815
1,782
1,862
1,802
1,826
1,840


 
Grampian
739
1,104
1,073
1,116
1,064
1,108
1,080


Tayside
507
711
709
746
738
718
760


South of Scotland
1,201
1,810
1,773
1,840
1,878
1,877
1,909


 
Ayrshire and Arran
421
641
566
620
612
624
652


Borders
213
316
331
338
396
344
347


Dumfries and Galloway
267
446
442
437
432
453
470


Lanarkshire
130
176
202
218
191
212
199


Lothian
170
231
232
227
247
244
241


West of Scotland
1,181
1,767
1,916
1,908
1,819
1,893
1,911


 
Argyll and Clyde
688
1,019
1,095
1,107
1,085
1,059
1,121


Ayrshire and Arran
141
224
231
238
200
245
241


Greater Glasgow
352
524
590
563
534
589
549


Not known
33
71
59
72
76
44
55



  

Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998


Scotland
15,458
15,164
15,224
15,171
14,889
14,752


Central Scotland
2,062
1,970
1,896
1,962
1,993
1,891


 
Ayrshire and Arran
235
213
194
230
239
245


Forth Valley
434
431
386
430
407
390


Greater Glasgow
65
65
43
50
47
63


Lanarkshire
1,328
1,261
1,273
1,252
1,300
1,193


Glasgow
 
2,465
2,418
2,549
2,340
2,308
2,256


 
Greater Glasgow
2,465
2,418
2,549
2,340
2,308
2,256


Highlands and Islands
1,220
1,251
1,246
1,189
1,249
1,228


 
Argyll and Clyde
214
248
226
210
229
225


Grampian
224
213
213
209
210
216


Highland
563
567
591
565
593
602


Orkney
53
51
52
45
60
51


Shetland
63
69
58
55
52
49


Western Isles
103
103
106
105
105
85


Lothians
1,885
1,871
1,821
1,918
1,865
1,858


 
Lothian
1,885
1,871
1,821
1,918
1,865
1,858


Mid Scotland and Fife
1,890
1,879
1,830
1,890
1,746
1,856


 
Fife
1,021
981
998
1,014
935
1,018


Forth Valley
363
362
341
367
325
371


Tayside
506
536
491
509
486
467


North East Scotland
1,957
1,807
1,902
1,931
1,872
1,874


 
Grampian
1,244
1,113
1,129
1,155
1,148
1,125


Tayside
713
694
773
776
724
749


South of Scotland
2,002
1,979
1,975
1,922
1,955
1,900


 
Ayrshire and Arran
687
659
694
615
662
640


Borders
373
345
320
359
345
351


Dumfries and Galloway
440
493
463
461
454
465


Lanarkshire
223
190
206
231
228
173


Lothian
279
292
292
256
266
271


West of Scotland
1,922
1,937
1,959
2,014
1,901
1,887


 
Argyll and Clyde
1,149
1,148
1,127
1,180
1,068
1,089


Ayrshire and Arran
212
235
224
248
213
231


Greater Glasgow
561
554
608
586
620
567


Not known
 
55
52
46
5
0
2



  

Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Scotland
14,789
14,958
15,196
15,051
15,116
15,047


Central Scotland
2,007
2,052
2,068
2,101
2,070
2,025


 
Ayrshire and Arran
250
224
244
239
256
232


Forth Valley
429
445
436
460
487
435


Greater Glasgow
53
54
67
61
44
56


Lanarkshire
1,275
1,329
1,321
1,341
1,283
1,302


Glasgow
 
2,252
2,106
2,196
2,186
2,168
2,134


 
Greater Glasgow
2,252
2,106
2,196
2,186
2,168
2,134


Highlands and Islands
1,262
1,281
1,289
1,268
1,260
1,276


 
Argyll and Clyde
215
233
218
216
203
217


Grampian
228
241
231
227
210
252


Highland
611
622
641
622
644
614


Orkney
45
38
51
45
45
51


Shetland
56
43
58
48
57
51


Western Isles
107
104
90
110
101
91


Lothians
 
1,820
1,826
1,934
1,783
1,823
1,794


 
Lothian
1,820
1,826
1,934
1,783
1,823
1,794


Mid Scotland and Fife
1,838
1,833
1,877
1,920
1,906
1,897


 
Fife
973
982
1,035
1,036
1,013
1,004


Forth Valley
367
361
353
357
377
388


Tayside
498
490
489
527
516
505


North East Scotland
1,815
1,928
1,962
1,842
1,871
1,941


 
Grampian
1,114
1,187
1,225
1,147
1,160
1,210


Tayside
701
741
737
695
711
731


South of Scotland
1,933
2,013
1,951
2,090
2,064
2,049


 
Ayrshire and Arran
654
685
630
701
654
697


Borders
355
343
347
399
354
337


Dumfries and Galloway
433
487
478
455
536
524


Lanarkshire
227
209
226
240
241
241


Lothian
264
289
270
295
279
250


West of Scotland
1,862
1,913
1,918
1,859
1,947
1,926


 
Argyll and Clyde
1,089
1,090
1,095
1,070
1,087
1,086


Ayrshire and Arran
208
227
237
206
222
234


Greater Glasgow
565
596
586
583
638
606


Not known
 
0
6
1
2
7
5



  Note: 1. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes:1986 - 1999: ICD9, 140 - 208.2000 - 2004: ICD10, C00 to C97.

Cancer

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths from cancer there were in each former European parliamentary constituency in each of the 10 years prior to the Chernobyl incident, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21936 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The following tables provide the absolute number of deaths from cancer between 1 January 1976 and 25 April 1986 by former European parliamentary constituency and NHS Board.

  Deaths from Cancer1 Between 1 January 1976 and 25 April 1986, by Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board

  

Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981


Scotland 
13,394
13,170
13,690
13,907
13,695
13,937


Central Scotland
1,525
1,556
1,542
1,607
1,622
1,762


 
Ayrshire and Arran
206
187
205
181
180
207


Forth Valley
317
333
300
354
301
367


Greater Glasgow
45
39
60
39
49
46


Lanarkshire
957
997
977
1,033
1,092
1,142


Glasgow
 
2,757
2,626
2,799
2,727
2,632
2,749


 
Greater Glasgow
2,757
2,626
2,799
2,727
2,632
2,749


Highlands and Islands
1,007
920
942
986
986
1,045


 
Argyll and Clyde
181
166
168
192
194
176


Grampian
180
162
163
172
159
183


Highland
469
425
452
464
446
508


Orkney
40
44
34
37
50
47


Shetland
44
39
38
38
45
42


Western Isles
93
84
87
83
92
89


Lothians
1,754
1,783
1,852
1,903
1,852
1,729


 
Lothian
1,754
1,783
1,852
1,903
1,852
1,729


Mid Scotland and Fife
1,556
1,495
1,599
1,554
1,623
1,597


 
Fife
831
774
890
847
850
832


Forth Valley
304
290
301
280
332
310


Tayside
421
431
408
427
441
455


North East Scotland
1,647
1,659
1,726
1,732
1,735
1,690


 
Grampian
936
972
1,023
1,027
1,022
1,011


Tayside
711
687
703
705
713
679


South of Scotland
1,500
1,551
1,515
1,616
1,595
1,668


 
Ayrshire and Arran
533
537
526
510
559
581


Borders
254
293
280
312
250
290


Dumfries and Galloway
362
372
337
417
383
400


Lanarkshire
171
163
158
180
181
180


Lothian
180
186
214
197
222
217


West of Scotland
1,599
1,526
1,658
1,733
1,596
1,637


 
Argyll and Clyde
907
899
975
1,028
945
966


Ayrshire and Arran
195
170
186
183
175
187


Greater Glasgow
497
457
497
522
476
484


Not known
 
49
54
57
49
54
60



  

Former European Parliamentary Constituency and NHS Board
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986 (part)


Scotland
14,077
14,210
14,299
14,455
4,715


Central Scotland
1,728
1,768
1,727
1,822
574


 
Ayrshire and Arran
232
201
211
206
68


Forth Valley
354
407
390
388
125


Greater Glasgow
56
49
42
61
9


Lanarkshire
1,086
1,111
1,084
1,167
372


Glasgow
 
2,598
2,694
2,651
2,624
823


 
Greater Glasgow
2,598
2,694
2,651
2,624
823


Highlands and Islands
1,061
1,048
1,095
1,144
380


 
Argyll and Clyde
211
188
218
200
71


Grampian
174
181
204
203
65


Highland
487
499
506
554
183


Orkney
56
49
41
56
9


Shetland
47
52
44
45
20


Western Isles
86
79
82
86
32


Lothians
1,816
1,839
1,882
1,877
638


 
Lothian
1,816
1,839
1,882
1,877
638


Mid Scotland and Fife
1,622
1,662
1,619
1,700
525


 
Fife
883
876
866
899
258


Forth Valley
293
333
327
382
126


Tayside
446
453
426
419
141


North East Scotland
1,761
1,727
1,746
1,791
582


 
Grampian
1,047
1,071
1,018
1,058
358


Tayside
714
656
728
733
224


South of Scotland
1,658
1,711
1,722
1,723
577


 
Ayrshire and Arran
597
581
619
635
189


Borders
312
315
312
322
102


Dumfries and Galloway
343
415
400
375
146


Lanarkshire
188
193
183
183
59


Lothian
218
207
208
208
81


West of Scotland
1,790
1,715
1,802
1,723
601


 
Argyll and Clyde
1,048
990
1,054
1,019
361


Ayrshire and Arran
222
202
221
206
70


Greater Glasgow
520
523
527
498
170


Not known
43
46
55
51
15



  Note: 1. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes:1976 - 1978: ICD8, 140 - 208.1979 - 1986: ICD9, 140 - 208.

Cancer

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21240 by George Lyon on 14 December 2005, what research or investigation has been carried out into the increased incidence of cancer deaths in the south of Scotland since the Chernobyl incident.

Mr Andy Kerr: The answer to question S2W-21240 on 14 December 2005, indicated a general increase in the absolute numbers of deaths from cancer in the South of Scotland between 1986 and 2004. However, rates of death from cancer increase substantially with age, and the increase in numbers of deaths can be attributed largely to the rise in the average age of the resident population over that period.

  Cancer statistics for this area, either in terms of total incidence or of the incidence of those cancers known to be associated with radiation exposure, give no indication of an association with fallout from Chernobyl. Therefore, no specific research or investigation has been carried out into deaths from cancer in the South of Scotland since the Chernobyl accident.Since 1995, in the under 75 age group, there has been a 14.8% reduction in age-standardised cancer mortality rates.

Child Protection

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were found guilty in a Scottish court of a crime as a result of Operation Ore.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested cannot be identified separately in the statistical data held centrally.

Children

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children who have been identified as vulnerable came from (a) affluent and (b) deprived areas in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not routinely collected.

Council Tax

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached a decision on whether to suspend the additional council tax payments being made by residents of Abbeyfield and other such homes resulting from the decision by the Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire valuation boards to designate each resident’s space as being liable for full payment.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its review into a loophole in the law which allows valuation boards to designate each resident’s living space in Abbeyfield and other such homes as being liable for payment of full council tax.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to my proposal that the enforcement of council tax liability should be suspended in very sheltered housing accommodation until a final decision is reached, in light of the undertaking by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Service Reform and Parliamentary Business on 1 December 2005 to consider the proposal ( Official Report c. 21456).

George Lyon: We are currently considering the way forward and will make an announcement in due course. In the meantime, we are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities to ensure that individuals living in these homes are receiving the benefits and exemptions they are entitled to.

Culture

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to foster and promote the Scottish cultural tradition in fiddle music to enhance tourism, similar to the position in Ireland.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is working with VisitScotland and the Scottish Arts Council to ensure that fiddle music is effectively promoted to enhance tourism in Scotland in a range of ways including support for traditional music festivals, organisations which support traditional music and awards for traditional musicians, and the promotion of traditional music in pubs through the McEwans Sessions initiative.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support, financial or otherwise, it is giving to the RNID campaign, "Breaking the Sound Barrier", and, in particular, to the telephone hearing test.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to encourage individuals to have their hearing tested, given that there is typically a 15-year delay between the onset of hearing loss and seeking help, as compared to a four-year gap between sight deterioration and obtaining spectacles, and that hearing impairment can lead to social isolation.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive supports this campaign by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and is keen to work with the RNID to help those with, or who may have, a hearing loss.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional audiologists it estimates will be required to meet any increasing demand following the introduction of a telephone hearing test by the RNID, which has been based on a Dutch model and as a consequence of which it is estimated that two or three out of 10 people taking the test will thereafter contact their GP with regard to their hearing.

Lewis Macdonald: The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) has indicated to the Executive, based on the experience in the Netherlands, that they expect one in 10 people who take the telephone hearing test may then contact their general practitioner to be referred to an audiologist. There may, therefore, be an increase in referrals across NHSScotland. NHS boards currently have the option of using a private sector national contract to meet audiology needs, and this could be used to meet any increase in demand.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average patient list is for a (a) general dental practitioner and (b) salaried dentist.

Lewis Macdonald: Average (mean) number of patients registered with an NHS general dental practitioner who is (a) non-salaried and (b) salaried; at 31 March 2005

  

(a) Non-Salaried Dentist1
(b) Salaried Dentist2


1,373
679



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

  Notes: 1. This analysis excludes practitioners with list numbers limited to orthodontics, as these list numbers do not attract registrations. 2. The profiles of the NHS non-salaried and salaried general dental services are significantly different and, due to the types of service provided by salaried dentists, registration figures are not comparable. Many salaried dentists provide an access only service, either full or part of the time, and do not therefore register patients or register only a small number of patients. In addition, senior and specialist salaried dentists may not register patients due to the type of service they provide. Consequently, salaried dentists with fewer than 100 registered patients at 31 March 2005 have been excluded.

Dentistry

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists were admitting new NHS patients on 1 December 2005, broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collected centrally.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on drug-driving testing kits in each of the last five years, including 2006, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to drug awareness and prevention in both primary and secondary education in each of the last five years.

Peter Peacock: £1 million was made available annually over 2001-02 to 2003-04 to local authorities for work on drugs education and drug awareness in schools.

  Grant funding of £462,450 was also made available over 2002-03 and 2003-04 to Scotland Against Drugs for drugs education training for teachers in Primary and Secondary schools and £31,840 was made available to the Scottish Training Agency for Drugs and Alcohol for teachers to attend multi-agency training.In September 2005 a full range of Know the Score materials was made available, free of charge, to all schools and other educational establishments in Scotland. These materials provide information and advice on drugs misuse.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies were born with a drug dependency in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area, showing year-on-year percentage changes and expressed also as a percentage of all births.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested can be accessed via the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38634).

  This table includes analyses for the five year period up to 2002-03, the latest year for which data is available. ISD Scotland are currently collating the data for 2003-04 and these will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in due course.

Education

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether professional music teachers are employed to teach instrumental music in primary schools.

Peter Peacock: Yes. Music instruction more generally, including instrumental music instruction, is delivered in primary schools by visiting music specialists, music instructors and instrumental instructors as well as by qualified music teachers.

Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that all schools share the benefits of the Schools of Ambition programme.

Peter Peacock: Sharing good practice is a key element of effecting change in the Scottish education system and the Schools of Ambition (SoA) programme is disseminating information to schools continuously with the SoAs making a major contribution to this.

  Schools of Ambition are sharing their learning. A programme of action research is being put in place. Ideas and data will be analysed and synthesised to be fed back to the wider school community and to ensure continuous "streaming" of research findings. Events are being organised nationally and regionally, to which all schools will be invited, and at which good practice will be shared.All schools have access to the Schools of Ambition website (www.schoolsofambition.co.uk) to share lessons learnt.In addition, the role of the Local Authorities in spreading the benefits of the SoA programme to other schools in its authority is key. As full partners in the programme, we are working with them on their strategies for this.

Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of students in secondary schools and in post-secondary institutions are enrolled in science and engineering courses; what the trends have been in such enrolments in recent years, and what specific measures are being considered to increase the proportion of these enrolments.

Peter Peacock: Information on entrants to National Qualifications science courses in Scottish secondary schools from 2000 to 2005 (figures for 2005 are pre-appeal); enrolments in science and engineering courses at Scottish colleges from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 and entrants to science and engineering courses at Scottish higher education institutions (HEI) from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 38613 and 38614). These are the latest available figures held by the Scottish Executive for each sector.

  The general trends over the periods indicated are that entries to National Qualifications courses in secondary schools has declined slightly at higher level in some subjects but increased at Intermediate 2; enrolments in science and engineering courses at colleges has slightly declined and Scottish entrants to science and engineering courses at HEIs has slightly increased. However, the variations are so small that there needs to be caution over drawing general conclusions from the figures.The Scottish Executive’s Science Strategy commits the Executive to ensuring that enough people study science to a standard which will enable Scotland’s future needs to be met. There is no reliable information available at present to suggest that this aim is not being met but the Executive is working with FutureSkills Scotland to develop a more informed analysis of the supply and demand for scientists in the economy. The Executive’s policy is to ensure that pupils, students and parents are provided with high quality information to enable them to make informed career choices rather than to attempt to control the uptake of particular subjects.

Education

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio has been of males to females who have gained qualifications in computing studies at (a) Standard grade, (b) Higher grade and (c) Certificate of Sixth Year Studies level or equivalent in each year since 1999.

Peter Peacock: Information on the ratio of males to females who have gained National Qualifications at Standard Grade or equivalent; Higher Grade and Certificate of Sixth Year Studies/Advanced Higher from 1999 to 2005 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38616).

Education

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote information technology as a career choice for female pupils in schools and what plans it has for the future development of these measures.

Peter Peacock: Careers Scotland provide a wide range of high quality and impartial advice and guidance services to clients of all ages, including pupils in schools. They assist individuals to make well-informed career and learning choices which will enable them to take advantage of current and future labour market opportunities.

  Within schools, information technology is studied in the context of a broad curriculum where the Executive seeks to promote equal access to all curriculum subjects. National 5-14 Guidelines for information and communications technology (ICT) and the associated Guides for Teachers and Managers provide advice and assistance to education authorities and schools in developing all pupils’ skills, knowledge and informed attitudes to ICT.In addition, the Executive is continuing to implement a range of measures as part of its commitment to science engineering and technology outlined within A Science Strategy for Scotland. £10 million has been made available to education authorities over the past three years to enable teachers to undertake high quality professional updating as well as providing additional laboratory, ICT and other equipment for schools.

Education

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students sat exams at (a) standard, (b) higher and (c) advanced higher grade in (i) biology, (ii) chemistry, (iii) physics, (iv) French, (v) German and (vi) Spanish in each local authority area in each of the last six years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Peter Peacock: A table showing the number of entries and year-on-year percentage change for National Qualifications courses in biology, chemistry, physics, French, German and Spanish in each local authority area from 2000-05 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38630).

Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22011 by Peter Peacock on 11 January 2006, what categories of information on sickness absence from school it uses and what the data were for each of the last three years in respect of such information categories.

Peter Peacock: Full definitions of the categories, together with data for the last two years, are published on the Scottish Executive website, available through the following links.

  Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools 2004-05: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/0681732.

  Attendance and Absence in Scottish Schools 2003-04: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00382-00.asp.

  Prior to 2003-04 data on attendance and absence was restricted to the broad categories of attendance, authorised absence and unauthorised absence. Sickness absences were a component of authorised absence.

Education

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people sat standard grade examinations in (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) biology, (d) mathematics, (e) computing, (f) English and (g) business studies in each of the last five years.

Peter Peacock: A table showing the number of entries for Standard Grade courses or equivalent in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computing, English and business studies from 2001–05 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38631).

Education

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people sat higher grade exams in (a) mathematics, (b) computing, (c) English and (d) business studies in each of the last five years.

Peter Peacock: The Information requested is as follows:

  Number of Entries for Selected National Qualifications Courses at Higher Grade in Scotland: 2001-05

  

Level
Course
2001
2002
2003
2004
20051


Higher 
Business Studies2
5,093
5,139
5,125
5,121
5,231


Computing3
4,268
4,127
4,435
4,724
4,291


English
25,037
25,431
25,544
25,516
25,054


Mathematics
18,536
17,632
17,783
17,654
17,396



  Notes: 1. 2005 results are pre-appeal. 2. Includes Business and Business Management. 3. Includes Computing and Computing Studies.

Emergency Services

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) firefighters have reported sick with a stress-related illness in each year since 1999.

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recruits from the (a) police, (b) fire and (c) ambulance services have dropped out of training in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Enterprise

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards the five core business areas identified by English Partnerships as core business areas for Scotland and, if so, which agency is responsible for delivering development of a portfolio of strategic sites in Scotland, which agency acts as its specialist adviser on brownfield land, which agency ensures that surplus government land is used to support wider Executive objectives and which agency is responsible for delivering the Scottish equivalent of the Sustainable Communities Plan.

Malcolm Chisholm: While important, the five core business areas identified by English Partnerships represent only some of the aspects required for successful regeneration. In Scotland, responsibility for these areas is shared between individual Scottish Executive departments, Communities Scotland and the Enterprise Networks.

  Our forthcoming policy statement on regeneration will articulate our vision for regeneration and define the role of the Scottish Executive and our agencies in supporting regeneration initiatives.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21616, S2W-21617, S2W-21619, S2W-21620 and S2W-21628 by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2006 and in light of the recent explosion at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire, what discussions the Executive has had with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of the potential risk of radioactive contamination from by-products associated with the oil industry in the event of a similar explosion at a Scottish oil installation.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has regular discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on all matters relating to the regulation of radioactivity in Scotland. Guidance on the management of radioactive contamination can be found in the UK Recovery Handbook for Radiation Incidents: 2005 . This publication was produced by a partnership between the Scottish Executive, SEPA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment and Heritage Services, Environment Agency and Food Standards Agency. A link to the document is attached below. http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/2005/hpa_rpd_002.htm .

Europe

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in relation to the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee of Inquiry into allegations of CIA activity in Europe.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has not had any discussions with the UK Government in relation to the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee of Inquiry into allegations of CIA activity in Europe.

Europe

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information that it will be making available to the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee of Inquiry into allegations of CIA activity in Europe.

Cathy Jamieson: Any request by the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee of Inquiry will be made directly to the UK Government. Should such a request be received, the Scottish Executive will assist in providing any information required to contribute to the UK Government response.

Family Law (Scotland) Bill

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the provisions of the Family Law (Scotland) Bill will come into effect.

Hugh Henry: The provisions of the Family Law (Scotland) Bill will come into effect in the late spring or early summer of 2006.

Farming

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of farm businesses in Dumfries and Galloway will have received the single farm payment by the end of December 2005 and when those businesses that have not received their payment should expect to do so.

Ross Finnie: Sixty-two per cent of farm business in the constituencies of Dumfries and Galloway and Upper Nithsdale were paid under the Single Farm Payment Scheme by 31 December 2005. The number of businesses represented by this percentage is 1,267 and the total value of the payments was £23,738,576.28. As at 20 January 2006, the payment position for Scotland is that 16,611 producers have been paid a total of approximately £224 million.

  Unfortunately, I cannot give a single date when the remaining producers can expect to be paid. That depends on individual circumstances as payments cannot be made until all scheme eligibility checks have been completed. The remaining producers with valid claims will be paid as soon as possible

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state the selection criteria that it will apply in awarding the contract for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route and whether the successful bidder will gain any contractual advantages, such as exclusivity on the route and the option to offer a more frequent service.

Tavish Scott: The service specification for the commercial service on the Gourock to Dunoon route is currently being developed. Part of this process will be to determine the selection criteria that the Executive will use to appoint the successful operator. Issues such as the frequency of service will be considered as the proposals for the route are developed. On the exclusivity issue, any ferry operator can operate any ferry service provided they do so in accordance with the regulatory standards.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the next step will be in order to continue the process of providing Campbeltown with a regular and long-term ferry service.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is currently exploring the reasons for the lack of response from the market to the tendering of a public service contract for a subsidy to operate a passenger and vehicle ferry service on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route. The Executive is also considering whether there are any feasible or practical options to pursue a contract within the terms of the current tendering process. It is too early to say whether this process will produce a regular and long-term ferry service, particularly when no tenders have been submitted from the invited bidders in the last two tendering exercises undertaken for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route. This was despite a substantial subsidy being made available by the Executive and the Northern Ireland administration.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the latest tender process in respect of the ferry route between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and whether it will meet ferry operators in order to identify any inhibitors that resulted in a lack of bids and to develop a successful basis for tenders to be encouraged.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive was disappointed that no tenders were submitted from the four invited bidders for a public service contract for a subsidy to operate a passenger and vehicle on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route. The Executive has approached the companies involved to explore their reasons for not bidding and will consider this further, directly with the companies, if necessary. The Executive is also considering whether there are any feasible or practical options to pursue a contract within the terms of the current tendering process. It is too early to predict the outcome of these approaches. The Executive will also take into account that no tenders have been submitted from the invited bidders in the last two tendering exercises undertaken for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle route, despite the substantial subsidy available in relation to the potential benefits predicted.

Food

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce pamphlets for schools to provide parents with suggestions of healthy options for packed lunches.

Peter Peacock: The recent report on the implementation of Hungry for Success confirmed that many schools and local authorities had already introduced positive initiatives to encourage parents to provide balanced selections of food in packed lunches, to ensure that they reflect the recommended Nutrient Standards. The Executive has no plans to introduce a leaflet for distribution at national level.

  I can also announce that we have commissioned the development of a toolkit to support the implementation of Hungry for Success. The Toolkit will be produced by The Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit and NHS Health Scotland in partnership with a range of agencies, including the Food Standards Agency, Learning Teaching Scotland and HM Inspectorate of Education. It will include national guidance on a range of healthy eating topics. It will also disseminate examples of good practice from across the country. The first sections of this guidance will be made available in spring this year, and will cover packed lunches and snacks, healthy vending and tuckshops.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have been (a) skilled, (b) unskilled and (c) semi-skilled, broken down by month.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have entered employment, broken down by sector and month.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants under the Fresh Talent initiative, including but not exclusive to those under the Working in Scotland scheme, have not held degrees or qualifications gained from Scottish institutions.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not available. Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent initiative.

G8 Summit

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is that the tourism industry will be assisted by virtue of the 2005 G8 summit having been held at Gleneagles.

Patricia Ferguson: The experience of previous G8 summit venues indicates that the long-term effect in tourism terms of playing host to the G8 summit in 2005 will be positive. Through international TV news coverage, it showcased many iconic aspects of what makes this country attractive to visitors. Visits to the visitscotland.com website increased by 17% for the first six days of July 2005 compared to the same period in 2004, equating to an additional 25,000 visits to the website. Hosting G8 further enhanced Scotland’s reputation by demonstrating that we can successfully host the largest of major international events, thus helping to progress our strategic objective for major events of being one of the world’s foremost events destinations by 2015.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been caused by Clostridium difficile in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Deaths Caused by Clostridium Difficile, by NHS Board Area

  

 
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Scotland
10
17
19
39
57
70
73
98


Argyll and Clyde
-
1
-
-
6
6
4
6


Ayrshire and Arran
2
1
-
2
7
9
5
12


Borders
-
-
1
2
-
1
2
-


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
-
-
5
1
2
2


Fife
1
-
1
1
4
3
4
14


Forth Valley
-
4
5
6
2
3
1
4


Grampian
-
-
-
2
1
3
6
7


Greater Glasgow
3
4
6
10
10
15
15
20


Highland
1
-
-
-
-
1
1
1


Lanarkshire
3
1
4
10
4
9
7
6


Lothian
-
6
2
6
11
13
20
22


Orkney
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Shetland
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Tayside
-
-
-
-
7
6
6
4


Western Isles
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



  This data should be treated with caution. At present, detailed information on healthcare associated infections (HAIs) as a cause of death is very difficult to interpret accurately. At present, laboratory testing protocols for Clostridium difficile vary across the country. Recording of HAIs as a cause of death is often based on the clinical judgement of individual doctors, so analysis is subjective and recording is prone to variation. As part of a new programme of work (led by the Ministerial HAI Task Force), we are enhancing monitoring and surveillance measures, and it will be mandatory for NHS laboratories to report all cases of Clostridium difficile from April 2006.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been caused by Clostridium difficile in hospitals in each of the last five years and what action is being taken to address this issue.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Deaths in Hospitals Caused by Clostridium Difficile

  

Years
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Scotland
38
53
65
69
93



  This data should be treated with caution. At present, detailed information on healthcare associated infections (HAI) as a cause of death is very difficult to interpret accurately. At present, laboratory testing protocols for Clostridium difficile vary across the country. Recording of HAIs as a cause of death is often based on the clinical judgement of individual doctors, so analysis is subjective and recording is prone to variation.The Ministerial HAI Task Force has completed a major three-year programme of work to improve prevention and control of HAI. It has developed a raft of measures, based on evidence and best practice, including surveillance, professional guidance, education and training programmes, and clear reporting and accountability structures. For example, guidance on the prudent use of antibiotics, which is one of the main factors in controlling Clostridium difficile, issued in September 2005.This year, the task force will begin a new programme of work to ensure these measures are firmly embedded into every day practice in health care settings across Scotland. It will also oversee further developments to tackle HAI. As part of this new programme of work, we are enhancing monitoring and surveillance measures, and it will be mandatory for NHS laboratories to report all cases of Clostridium difficile from April 2006.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of self-harm there have been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999, broken down by month and into age groupings.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown in the table, Hospital discharges from acute hospitals with a diagnosis of deliberate self-harm, year ending December 1999-2004 a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 38627).

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) each NHS board area and (b) total were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the population and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Mr Andy Kerr: The exact number of people diagnosed with clinical obesity in Scotland in each of the last five years, is not available centrally. However, there are two sources from which estimates can be derived regarding the prevalence of obesity:

  1. National estimates of the numbers of people consulting for obesity can be given based on the number of patients seen for the condition in general practices participating in PTI (Practice Team Information). PTI data are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices whose population covers the full range of age, sex, deprivation and urban/rural classes existing in Scotland. The number of participating practices is too small to allow estimates for individual NHS board areas. 2. National prevalence estimates can be obtained from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey. The Scottish Health Survey website (http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scottishhealthsurvey/) shows the percentage of respondents regarded as obese (body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) > 30) in each NHS board area, but does not give information on the underlying numbers. Information is also available from earlier surveys in 1998 and 1995.The estimated number of patients who consulted their general practices in Scotland for "obesity" based on PTI data over the financial years ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 is shown in the following table 1. Obesity in these consultations was not precisely defined in terms of height, weight or BMI. These figures are likely to considerably underestimate the true number of obese people in Scotland because many people with obesity do not consult their GP practice. In addition, these figures exclude people with obesity who did not consult their practice during the year of the analysis. Also, patients may visit the general practice for a condition e.g. diabetes, hypertension, related to their obesity without obesity itself being recorded. The numbers shown in table 1 are less than a tenth of the Scottish Health Survey estimates.

  Table 1. Estimated Number of Patients Contacting their GP or any Member of the Practice Team1 Regarding Obesity; Financial Years Ending 31 March 2001 to 2005

  

Financial Year
Number of Patients Seen


GP Only
Full Practice Team


2000-01
25,600
 


2001-02
41,300
 


2002-03
40,400
 


2003-04
35,300
45,000


2004-05
28,800
36,700



  Note: 1. The Practice Team includes GPs, practice nurses, district nurses and health visitors. Before April 2003 data is available on GP visits only.

  Table 2 shows the percentage of respondents from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey who were obese (BMI > 30) in each NHS board area. Information on the underlying numbers is not provided on the Scottish Health Survey website.

  Table 2. Percentage Obese (Defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) >30), by NHS Board and Sex, Ages 16+1,2

  

 
Men3
Women3


Argyll and Clyde
23.2
27.9


Ayrshire and Arran
25.3
26.6


Borders
23.4
23.6


Dumfries and Galloway
27.5
30.0


Fife
20.4
27.1


Forth Valley
17.2
32.0


Grampian
20.1
25.6


Greater Glasgow
21.5
23.9


Highland
23.3
27.8


Lanarkshire
25.5
25.9


Lothian
25.5
22.3


Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles
[29.4]
[26.8]


Tayside
16.2
28.0


Scotland
22.4
26.0



  Notes: 1. Extract from Scottish Health Survey 2003, Health Board Tables, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/76169/0019728.xls. 2. Those with valid BMI measurement. 3. Figures in square brackets are based on small samples.

  Additionally, table 5.7 of the 2003 Scottish Health Survey shows trends in obesity over the 1995, 1998 and 2003 surveys for respondents aged 16 to 64. Between the 1998 and 2003 survey the proportion of obese men aged 16 to 64 years increased from 18.8% to 22.0%, and for women increased from 20.9% to 23.8%. (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/76169/0019729.pdf).

Homelessness

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been registered homeless in the Scottish Borders in each year since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of applications and persons assessed as homeless under the homelessness legislation by Scottish Borders Council are shown in the following table.

  Number of Applications and Persons Assessed as Homeless by Scottish Borders Council: 2000-01 to 2004-05

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Applications
370
380
350
388
598
467


Number of persons
720
760
810
714
1,213
811



  Source: HL1 returns by local authorities to the Scottish Executive Development Department Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics).

  Notes: 1. All applications within period assessed as homeless. 2. Some households may have applied several times during the period, and will be counted more than once. 3. Children are included in the number of persons. 4. Data prior to 2002 are estimates and rounded to the nearest 10 for local authority level.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17684 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005 and taking into account the new method of publishing crime statistics, how many people have been found guilty of a crime by Scottish courts in each financial year since 1950-51.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information on convictions in Scottish courts by financial year is given in the following table. Prior to 1988-89, figures are only available on a calendar year basis. Figures for 2004-05 are currently planned for publication in April 2006.

  Number of Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, 1988-89 to 2003-04

  

Financial Year
Number


1988-89
175,412


1989-90
176,031


1990-91
176,263


1991-92
177,401


1992-93
176,217


1993-94
159,958


1994-95
160,078


1995-96
155,031


1996-97
151,565


1997-98
149,334


1998-99
137,174


1999-00
128,102


2000-01
113,196


2001-02
121,539


2002-03
135,474


2003-041
119,994



  Note: 1. Includes estimated data; information for 2004 is provisional.

Local Government

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive who the (a) current and (b) past board members are of the Local Government Improvement Service.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Improvement Service was officially launched in April 2005. The current Board members are:

  Patrick Watters (COSLA)Roderick Ian Douglas Mair (COSLA)Tom McCabe (Minister for Finance and Public Services Reform)Keith Dunckley Yates (SOLACE)Colin Peter Caldwell Mair (Chief Executive, the Improvement Service for Scottish Local Government)Douglas Sinclair (SOLACE) re-signed from the Improvement Service at the last board meeting on 21 November 2005 due to the completion of his term as chair of SOLACE. Gavin Whitefield (SOLACE) is the nominated replacement for Douglas Sinclair, however the legal appointment process for Mr Whitefield has still to be finalised.Prior to the official launch of the Improvement Service, a Shadow Board was put in place in 2003 to pave the way for the establishment of the company. The Shadow Board Members were: -Patrick Watters (COSLA)Corrie McChord (COSLA)Andy Kerr (then Minister for Finance and Public Services Reform)Leslie Evans (Scottish Executive)Douglas Sinclair (SOLACE)Keith Dunckley Yates (SOLACE).

Maternity Services

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of stay of new mothers in maternity units has been following (a) normal delivery, (b) instrumental delivery and (c) operative delivery in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Table 1: Mean Length of Stay (in days) by Mode of Delivery1

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


All Births
 
 
 
 
 


Total Maternities
53,690
52,072
50,808
49,941
51,090


Normal Delivery
3.00
2.82
2.74
2.63
2.55


Instrumental Delivery
4.39
4.05
3.90
3.96
3.77


Operative Delivery
6.47
6.04
5.75
5.65
5.35


Multiple births
 
 
 
 
 


Total maternities
725
740
798
756
809


Normal Delivery
6.18
6.03
6.30
5.34
7.40


Instrumental Delivery
8.56
7.75
6.50
6.95
7.37


Operative Delivery
9.61
9.39
8.28
8.51
7.81


Singleton Births
 
 
 
 
 


Total Maternities
52,965
51,332
50,010
49,185
50,281


Normal Delivery
2.98
2.80
2.71
2.62
2.51


Instrumental Delivery
4.33
3.98
3.85
3.91
3.71


Operative Delivery
6.36
5.92
5.66
5.54
5.25



  Source: ISD Scotland.Note:1. Excludes home births and births at non-NHS hospitals.

Mental Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for anti-depressants have been dispensed in each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is provided in the following tables. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals and hospital-based clinics.

  Antidepressants Prescribed in Scotland - Financial Years 2000-01 to 2004-05

  Number of Prescribed Items and Percentage Change (Year-on-Year)

  

NHS Board
2000-01
2000-01*
2001-02
2001-02
2002-03
2002-03


Ayrshire and Arran
221,504
7.14%
243,336
9.86%
257,624
5.87%


Borders
53,443
11.15%
60,232
12.70%
65,614
8.94%


Argyll and Clyde
271,526
8.56%
298,310
9.86%
322,404
8.08%


Fife
188,377
10.92%
206,229
9.48%
221,354
7.33%


Greater Glasgow
539,972
9.34%
589,782
9.22%
639,060
8.36%


Highland
101,523
10.20%
110,881
9.22%
117,976
6.40%


Lanarkshire
322,447
9.75%
355,414
10.22%
387,851
9.13%


Grampian
218,036
7.05%
236,928
8.66%
251,199
6.02%


Orkney
8,362
5.98%
9,031
8.00%
9,780
8.29%


Lothian
353,180
8.82%
383,564
8.60%
409,371
6.73%


Tayside
209,570
9.04%
227,574
8.59%
239,351
5.18%


Forth Valley
159,954
8.29%
176,243
10.18%
190,525
8.10%


Western Isles
13,221
6.47%
13,921
5.29%
14,739
5.88%


Dumfries and Galloway
93,064
12.55%
104,406
12.19%
110,857
6.18%


Shetland
11,085
3.37%
11,050
-0.32%
11,178
1.16%


Scotland
2,765,264
9.02%
3,026,901
9.46%
3,248,883
7.33%



  Notes: *Change from 1999-2000.

  

NHS Board
2003-04
2003-04
2004-05
2004-05


Ayrshire and Arran
270,635
5.05%
273,690
1.13%


Borders
71,920
9.61%
77,163
7.29%


Argyll and Clyde
335,175
3.96%
344,166
2.68%


Fife
226,317
2.24%
229,122
1.24%


Greater Glasgow
672,772
5.28%
684,455
1.74%


Highland
124,837
5.82%
129,138
3.45%


Lanarkshire
407,986
5.19%
416,223
2.02%


Grampian
267,534
6.50%
277,851
3.86%


Orkney
10,610
8.49%
10,920
2.92%


Lothian
423,442
3.44%
428,340
1.16%


Tayside
251,243
4.97%
258,496
2.89%


Forth Valley
197,125
3.46%
201,302
2.12%


Western Isles
15,658
6.24%
16,512
5.45%


Dumfries and Galloway
115,347
4.05%
117,937
2.25%


Shetland
11,344
1.49%
12,050
6.22%


Scotland
3,401,945
4.71%
3,477,365
2.22%



  Source: ISD.

Mental Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in the last five years from interested parties in respect of the delivery of mental health services.

Lewis Macdonald: There is on-going engagement with a range of stakeholders including the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. Service users, carers and other interests are also actively involved within formal and other arrangements including the mechanisms in place for public and patient involvement in the design of services and policy.

Mental Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made against NHS boards in respect of mental health care in each year since 1999 and what level of involvement ministers had in response to each case.

Lewis Macdonald: The NHS complaints procedure, which is independent of ministers and the Scottish Executive Health Department, was introduced in April 1996, and revised in April 2005, to provide a simple, flexible, impartial and easily accessible system for dealing with complaints.

  NHS boards and other NHS organisations submit information about the written complaints they receive to ISD Scotland. A summary of these complaints for 2002-05, is available by service area, including joint data on psychiatric and learning disabilities, at http://www.isdscotland.org/complaints.

Ministerial Visits

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14332 by Peter Peacock on 2 March 2005, how many schools the Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have visited in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire since 25 August 2004, detailing each school visited and the date of, and reasons for, each visit.

Peter Peacock: The Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have made the following visits to schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire since 25 August 2004.

  

Date
Minister
Authority
School
Reason


25-02-005
Minister
Aberdeen City
Torry Academy
Meet staff and pupils. Discuss Ambitious Excellent Schools.


18-08-005
Minister
Aberdeenshire
Kellands School, Inverurie
Presentation of the John Muir award


20-01-006
Deputy
Aberdeen City
St Machar Primary
General Visit

Ministerial Visits

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister or Deputy Minister for Education and Young People has any plans to visit schools in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire and, if so, whether it will give details of the schools to be visited and the reasons for each visit.

Peter Peacock: The Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have no immediate plans to visit schools in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire. As recently as 20 January 2006, the Deputy Minister paid a general visit to St Machar Primary in Aberdeen.

NHS Expenditure

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure on secondary mental health services was in real terms in each of the last five years for which figures are available and what this represents as a percentage of the hospital and community health services budget in each of these years.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown as follows. The level of expenditure on mental health and all other care services is determined by each NHS Board from within their share of the record resources made available to NHS Scotland. Local decisions on spend have shown a year on year increase in real terms over the last five years.

  

Financial
Year
Expenditure on Mental Health Services 
(Real Terms) (£000)
% of Total Expenditure on Hospital 
and Community health Services


2004-05
625,531
13.2


2003-04
593,666
13.7


2002-03
587,969
14.2


2001-02
562,235
14.5


2000-01
525,772
14.4



  The grants paid by the Scottish Executive under the Mental Health Specific Grant and other schemes, currently over £20 million per year, should be added over and above the above amounts spent by NHS boards. The spend made by local authorities and other partners on mental health should also be taken into account.

Nursing

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have implemented the Agenda for Change pay package for nurses.

Mr Andy Kerr: All NHS boards are in the process of assimilating nursing staff in NHS Scotland on to the Agenda for Change pay bands, and substantial progress has been made. It is expected that most nurses will be on the Agenda for Change scales by the end of May 2006.

  The implementation of Agenda for Change has been taken forward in partnership with staff side representatives to ensure proper application of the new arrangements.

Nutrition

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will launch an advertising campaign highlighting the benefits of healthy eating in schools.

Peter Peacock: Hungry for Success takes a whole school approach to promoting healthy eating. This means not only providing nutritionally balanced meals, but also promoting healthy eating at the point of sale, in the curriculum and through newsletters and other communication with pupils and parents.

  The Expert Panel’s Report on School Meals recommended that all marketing activity should be geared towards encouraging healthy choices, and that there should be no active marketing of high fat and high sugar products such as confectionery and crisps. HM Inspectorate of Education’s report on the implementation found that this was the case in the majority of dining rooms inspected. In addition, schools were using a range of different strategies to promote healthy eating, such as involving pupils in designing their own promotional material.

  In addition to this action at school level, NHS Scotland and the Food Standards Agency run a number of national campaigns to highlight the benefits of healthy eating. In particular, the Executive funds the healthyliving campaign which includes mass media advertising, brand marketing and PR, the healthyliving helpline, website development, support for NHS and other public sector providers and monitoring and evaluation of the campaign.

Pensions

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8020 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 November 2005, what discussions it has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of the Local Government Pension Scheme and what the outcome of these discussions has been.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA in respect of the differences between the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom and what the outcome has been.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade unions representing local government employees in respect of the Local Government Pension Scheme and what the outcome has been.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) held separate discussions on proposals for changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in Scotland during 2005 with COSLA and with local government union representatives. A joint advisory group consisting of representatives from each of these three parties was established with a view to agreeing principles for a fair, sustainable and affordable LGPS in Scotland. As pensions policy is reserved, differences between the LGPS in Scotland from those in England and Wales will have to be justifiable within the overall UK pensions policy framework. SPPA officials have also kept in close touch with those from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that the advisory group may be informed of developments on the LGPS in England and Wales.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15618 and S2W-20862 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 April and 12 December 2005, how the Scottish Prison Service can confirm that it has at all times met its contractual commitment of employing one of more registered mental health nurses whilst stating that the contract does not require the contractor to employ registered mental health nurses but does commit the contractor to having "nursing staff with mental nursing skills and qualifications".

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  My answer to S2W-15618 confirmed that Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd had met its contractual commitment in relation to the provision of nursing. The answer to S2W-20862 confirmed what the contractual commitment was. This question asks about the contractual commitments of the SPS in relation to the employment of registered mental health nurses. The SPS has no such contract.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the order of strategic priority is of current and proposed rail developments.

Tavish Scott: Our first priority is to implement the major rail infrastructure projects, as set out in the Partnership Agreement, i.e. the rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, the upgrade at Waverley station, opening the Stirling to Alloa line, the Airdrie to Bathgate line, and the Borders rail link. In addition, we are considering what the rail strategy for the next 15 to 20 years should be. We have consulted on the strategic priorities, commissioned a Scottish Planning Assessment and Network Rail are conducting a Route Utilisation Study. These will provide the building blocks for considering what further rail developments will make the most positive impacts on the economy, society and environment of Scotland in future. We expect to produce the rail strategy in the summer and this will guide the potential investments to be considered for future funding by the Executive in the subsequent Strategic Projects Review. Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for more information if required.

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given consideration to the comments of Rosemary Burnett of Amnesty International who was reported in The Herald on 16 December 2005 to have stated "the Scottish Executive should investigate these illegal transfers as a matter of urgency. Not to do so is to aid and abet torture" in respect of the allegations that US agencies have used Scottish airports to refuel for flights in which it is alleged terrorist suspects are being transported against their will and without recourse to legal representation to countries where they may be tortured for the purposes of interrogation.

Colin Boyd QC: Torture is a crime under Scots law. Where specific, credible information exists to support allegations that such crimes have been committed within or facilitated through Scottish jurisdiction the police will be responsible for conducting appropriate investigations and reporting such cases to the Procurator Fiscal.

  At present, however, we are not aware that any individual has been unlawfully transported through a Scottish airport for the purpose of torture. To date no specific, credible information supporting such an allegation has been brought to the attention of the police.

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-21582 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, why there have been no discussions with representatives of the US Government, given that the allegations involved pertain to their agencies.

Cathy Jamieson: No reliable and credible information has been provided to any Scottish law enforcement agency to support the allegations that US flights carrying alleged terrorist detainees overseas to be tortured have stopped to refuel at Scottish airports. In light of this, the Scottish Executive has not discussed such allegations with representatives of the US government.

Road Accidents

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the section of the A76 between New Cumnock and Sanquhar, identified in the October 1996 summary A76 Route Action Plan as exhibiting a higher accident rate than the national average, has compared with the national average for traffic accidents in each year since 2000, given the remedial measures noted in 1996.

Tavish Scott: The following table describes the accidents and accident rates for the A76 trunk road between New Cumnock and Sanquhar between January 2000 and December 2004:

  

Year
Fatal
Serious
Slight
Accident Rate 
per Million Vehicle Kilometres


2000
0
2
6
0.27


2001
0
3
11
0.48


2002
0
4
4
0.27


2003
0
1
11
0.41


2004
0
2
10
0.41



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Accident rates are based on an Annual Average Daily Flow of 3,930 vehicles per day over the period 2000-04 and the accidents which occurred over a 20.3km stretch of the A76 between New Cumnock and Sanquhar. The national average single carriageway accident rate for 2002-04 (the latest full three years data) is 0.206 accidents per million vehicle kilometres.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Road Accidents

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatalities, (b) fatal accidents, (c) serious accidents and (d) minor accidents have taken place in each year since the Route Action Plan for the A76 was published in 1996 between (i) New Cumnock and Kirkconnel, (ii) Kirkconnel and Sanquhar, (iii) Sanquhar and Thornhill, (iv) Thornhill and Auldgirth and (v) Auldgirth and Dumfries.

Tavish Scott: The number of injury accidents recorded on the A76 between New Cumnock and Dumfries between 1996 and 2004 is as follows:

  New Cumnock to Kirkconnel

  

Year
Fatalities
Fatal Accidents
Serious Accidents
Slight Accidents


1996
 0
0
3
4


1997
 0
0
0
6


1998
0
0
1
6


1999
0
0
3
5


2000
0
0
2
3


2001
0
0
3
7


2002
0
0
3
4


2003
 0
0
0
6


2004
0
0
1
6



  Kirkconnel to Sanquhar

  

Year
Fatalities
Fatal Accidents
Serious Accidents
Slight Accidents


1996
0 
 0
 0
1 


1997
 0 
 0
 1
 0


1998
 0
 0
 1
 2


1999
1 
1
 0
 3


2000
 0
 0
 0
 3


2001
 0
 0
 0
 4


2002
 0
 0
 1
 0


2003
 0 
 0
 1
 5


2004
 0
0 
 1
 4



  Sanquhar to Thornhill

  

Year
Fatalities
Fatal Accidents
Serious Accidents
Slight Accidents


1996
0 
0 
0 
2 


1997
 4 
 2
 3
 2


1998
 1
 1
 0
 5


1999
 0
0
 0
 1


2000
 1
 1
 2
 3


2001
 0
 0
 3
 3


2002
 1
 1
 1
 3


2003
 0 
 0
 2
 3


2004
 0
 0
 2
 2



  Thornhill to Auldgirth

  

Year
Fatalities
Fatal Accidents
Serious Accidents
Slight Accidents


1996
 0 
 0 
1 
4 


1997
 5 
 2
 0
 2


1998
 1
 1
 1
 2


1999
 0
 0
 0
 3


2000
 0
 0
 0
 4


2001
 0
 0
 2
 2


2002
 0
 0
 2
 3


2003
 0 
 0
 1
 2


2004
 0
 0
 3
 6



  Auldgirth to Dumfries

  

Year
Fatalities
Fatal Accidents
Serious Accidents
Slight Accidents


1996
 0 
 0 
 4
 7


1997
 2 
 1
 0
 2


1998
 1
 1
 8
 9


1999
 1
 1
 3
 2


2000
 1
 1
 3
 6


2001
 0
 0
 4
 6


2002
 0
 0
 0
 8


2003
 0 
 0
 0
 9


2004
 0
 0
 2
 4



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21286 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, whether this indicates that it has no plans to build roads for which it is responsible around Kilsyth to improve links from the town to the rest of Scotland.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is not responsible for building local roads around Kilsyth. This is the statutory responsibility of North Lanarkshire Council.

Roads

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the extent of the litter on the roadside verges of the A1 between Haddington and Newcraighall and, if so, what communications it has had with Amey Highways Ltd in this regard.

Tavish Scott: Amey Infrastructure Services is required to clear litter from the A1 special road between Old Craighall Roundabout and Haddington in accordance with the standards laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the associated Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. Transport Scotland and the independent Performance Audit Group are not aware of any significant issues regarding litter on this section of the A1 trunk road and no specific communications have been made with Amey on this matter. The Performance Audit Group’s recent inspection on 12 January 2006 did not highlight any accumulations of litter on the section of the A1 under Amey’s control.

  The A1 between Old Craighall Roundabout and Newcraighall is not a trunk road and litter clearance is therefore a matter for the local roads authority.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Scottish Criminal Records Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the sickness rate in each of the last five years in the (a) Scottish Criminal Records Office and (b) fingerprint bureaux in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Aberdeen, (iii) Dundee and (iv) Edinburgh.

Cathy Jamieson: The information available for sickness rates in the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the four fingerprint bureaux is shown below:

  Scottish Criminal Record Office – All Staff, including Fingerprint Officers

  

Year to 31 March 2005
7.29%


Year to 31 March 2004
8.39%


Year to 31 March 2003
6.67%


Year to 31 March 2002
6.24%



  Fingerprint Bureaux

  Aberdeen

  

Year to 31 March 2005
1.3%


Year to 31 March 2004
1.7%



  Dundee

  

Year to 31 March 2005
4.10%


Year to 31 March 2004
2.80%



  Edinburgh

  

Year to 31 March 2005
8.0%


Year to 31 March 2004
7.9%



  Glasgow

  

Year to 31 March 2005
13.63%


Year to 31 March 2004
11.13%



  It has not been possible to separate out the figures for sick leave in the four fingerprint bureaux prior to April 2003.

Scottish Executive Ministers

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many gifts ministers have received from private sector firms or businesses (a) within and (b) outwith Scotland in each year since 2000, broken down by firm or business.

Tom McCabe: Details of all gifts received by ministers are published annually on the Scottish Executive website. These are currently shown from 1999 to 2004. We plan to issue the details for 2005 shortly.

  Details can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1066/0008094.pdf.

Scottish Executive Procurement

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21304 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, whether companies are always invited to tender or whether applications are also considered from uninvited companies.

Tavish Scott: Candidates are always invited to tender for such contracts.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Scottish Executive Records

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the destruction or retention of its records.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive reviews and disposes of its records in accordance with the Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967. Although these acts have no legal force in Scotland, they have been applied by the Executive in reviewing and disposing of its records by agreement with the UK Cabinet Office. Records are recommended for destruction in accordance with retention and disposal schedules and only when reviewing staff are satisfied that they contain no papers that are likely to be of continuing or historic interest. No Scottish Executive record is destroyed without the agreement of the National Archives of Scotland, whose staff work alongside Executive reviewing staff to ensure that proper procedures are followed. The Executive’s Records Management Manual sets out the policies and procedures which staff and records managers follow, and is available for inspection on its website.

Scottish Executive Records

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rationale is for its records management process.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive manages its records in accordance with the UK Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967. Although these acts have no legal force in Scotland, they have been applied by the Executive in managing its records by agreement with the UK Cabinet Office, in the absence of modern Scottish public records legislation. The Executive takes the management of its records very seriously and has produced guidance for all staff regarding best practice, in consultation with the National Archives of Scotland. The Executive’s Records Management Manual sets out the policies and procedures which staff and records managers follow, and is available for inspection on its website.

Scottish Executive Staff

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bonuses have been paid to its employees in each year since 1999 and what the total cost has been of such bonuses.

Mr Tom McCabe: Bonus payments made to staff within the Scottish Executive Core Departments since 1999 are as follows:

  Special Bonus Scheme1

  

Year
No. of Bonus Payments
Total Amount


1999
333
£93,190


2000
282
£97,825


2001
375
£107,750


2002
433
£143,807


2003
329
£114,566


2004
487
£165,777



  Note:  1. The Special Bonus Scheme rewards staff for special contributions made over a relatively short period of time. The scheme operates independently from the performance pay arrangements and is not linked to annual appraisals.

  Performance Bonus2

  

Year
No. of Bonus Payments
Total Amount


2003
597
£1,318,250


2004
670
£1,701,884



  Notes:  *Complete information on performance bonus payments prior to 2003 is not held centrally. 2. Performance bonus payments form part of the pay systems within which staff in Scottish Executive Core Departments and the Senior Civil Service are paid. Payments are made in line with performance management standards and are in recognition of performance during the appraisal year.

Sexual Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) females and (b) males aged (i) under 16, (ii) 16 to 18 and (iii) 19 to 21 were identified as having a sexually transmitted infection in (1) total and (2) each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Mr Andy Kerr: The full range of information requested is not held centrally. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are treated in a number of locations, including genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, family planning clinics and primary care settings. Data from these locations are incomplete.

  The information which is available from GUM clinic attendances is given in Table 1 – Patients aged 21 and under diagnosed with an STI in Scottish GUM clinics by NHS Board of residence, gender, year and age group; 2000-2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38635).

  In addition, laboratory data on the four main STIs is routinely collected by Health Protection Scotland. The number of positive laboratory reports are very similar to diagnoses recorded at GUM clinics although Chlamydia, which is the most frequent single diagnosis in this age group, is more likely to be diagnosed in other settings. The data in Table 2 - Laboratory reports of Chlamydia among persons aged 21 years and under by NHS Board of diagnosis, gender, year and age group; Scotland 2000-2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38636) contains the available data from laboratory reports, broken down by NHS board area.

Teachers

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of secondary school teachers who have specific training in drug awareness and prevention to those who have no such training.

Peter Peacock: Information is not held centrally on the number of secondary school teachers who have been given specific training in drug awareness and prevention beyond that which is given to all student teachers during initial teacher education and/or induction.

Teachers

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teacher vacancies there were for (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) biology, (d) mathematics, (e) computing, (f) English and (g) business studies in secondary schools in each of the last five years.

Peter Peacock: The results of the annual teacher vacancies survey returned by local authorities can be accessed using the following hyperlink http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00429 .

Traffic

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications on 7 December 2005 ( Official Report c. 21530), where it measures traffic flows on the A76; how frequently it takes readings at these collection points, and whether it will publish the traffic flow figures in each year since January 2000.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has 12 permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A76. Traffic data from these sites is collected on an hourly basis. The data is then loaded and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database.

  The site locations and Annual Average Daily Flows from January 2000 are as follows:

  

Location
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005*


Immediately northwest of A75
19,296
18,923
20,461
23,963
24,169
23,849


Newbridge Diversion
7,476
6,840
5,934
8,030
8,171
7,402


Northwest of Auldgirth
5,082
4,906
5,188
5,250
5,333
5,565


Between Carronbridge and Enterkinfoot
2,992
2,329
2,486
2,708
3,156
2,818


Mennock
3,004
2,886
2,861
3,074
3,255
3,166


Polshill Bridge
2,521
N/A
N/A
2,881
2,965
2,968


Cumnock/Auchinleck Bypass (B7083 and A70)
N/A
4,469
5,282
5,792
6,083
5,483


Cumnock/Auchinleck Bypass (A70 and B7083)
N/A
N/A
4,923
5,801
6,047
6,289


Little Heateth
N/A
N/A
9,649
9,480
9,784
10,308


Crosshands
8,163
9,598
9,894
10,138
9,133
9,126


Crossroads
10,239
N/A
10,811
10,193
11,637
11,389


Bowhouse Roundabout
9,529
9,642
9,826
9,702
10,361
9,742



  Notes: 1. N/A is indicative of probable equipment failure that resulted in no data being collected. 2. *2005 data collection is not yet complete.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Traffic

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there were in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A7 at all points for which figures are available.

Tavish Scott: There are eight permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A7 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database.

  

Location
1996-97
Average Daily Flow
2004-05
Average Daily Flow


South of Canonbie
 
4,323


Langholm
3,484
3,577**


North of Langholm
2,227*
2,180 


Linhope- south of Teviothead
 
2,022 


Hawick High Street
 
6,339 


South of Selkirk
 
5,571 


North of Selkirk
 
8,455 


Netherbarns
 
9,244 



  Notes: 1. The data is for the A7 trunk road which runs from Kingsknowe Roundabout to the national border. 2. *10 months data. 3. ** 11 months data. 4. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 5. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Traffic

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A68 at all points for which figures are available.

Tavish Scott: There are 14 permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A68 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database.

  

Location
1996-97
Average Daily Flow
2004-05
Average Daily Flow


Carter Bar
 
3,067


Huntford
2,577*
2,521**


Jedburgh
6,463
6,173


Cliekimin
 
7,733


South of Ancrum
 
6,955


South of Newtown St Boswells
 
8,744


North of Newtown St Boswells
 
12,348


North of A6091
 
8,866


South of Lauder
 
6,355


North of Oxton
 
8,648**


East of Fala Tunnel
 
8,588***


Pathhead
8,853
9,364


North of A6093
 
11,826


North of Easterhouses
16,860****
16,595*****



  Notes: 1. *Three months data. 2. **10 months data. 3. ***One month data. 4. ****Two months data. 5. *****11 months data. 6. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 7. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Traffic

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A701 at all points for which figures are available.

Tavish Scott: There are four permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A701 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database.

  

Location
1996-97 
Average Daily Flow
2004-05 
Average Daily Flow


Northeast of A75
19,077
21,294


Locharbriggs
6,065
8,791


North east of Jericho Bridge
 
6,103*


North of B7020
4,166
4,720



  Notes: 1. The data is for the A701 trunk road which runs from Beattock to Dumfries 2. *Eight months data 3. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 4. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Traffic

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A702 at all points for which figures are available.

Tavish Scott: There are seven permanent automatic traffic counters located on the A702 trunk road. Traffic data from these sites is collected and held within the Scottish Roads Traffic Database.

  

Location
1996-97 
Average Daily Flow
2004-05 
Average Daily Flow


Abington
5,104
5,888


Wandel
3,878*
4,242


Biggar, south of A72
 
5,271


Biggar, north of A72
 
4,438


West Linton
 
6,470


Fulford
7,837
10,191**


South of Edinburgh City Bypass
17,950***
20,436**



  Notes: 1. *Four months data. 2. **11 months data. 3. ***10 months data. 4. Some traffic counting sites were not in place in 1996-97. 5. Sites may not record 12 months full data due to equipment malfunction, operator error or site loss due to road works.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Traffic

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A703 at all points for which figures are available.

Tavish Scott: The monitoring of traffic volumes on the A703 is a matter for Scottish Borders Council as the local roads authority. The information requested is not held centrally by the Executive.

Traffic

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in traffic volumes between 1996-97 and 2004-05 on the A708 at all points for which figures are available.

Tavish Scott: The monitoring of traffic volumes on the A708 is a matter for Scottish Borders Council and Dumfries and Galloway Council as the local roads authorities. The information requested is not held centrally by the Executive.

Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the fitting of speed governors to vehicles by manufacturers in order to reduce speeding.

Tavish Scott: The fitting of speed governers to vehicles is a matter for the UK Government.

Voluntary Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how its Volunteering Strategy will support established organisations in recruiting, training and retaining volunteers, in addition to supporting newer initiatives such as Volunteer Development Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The objective of strand three of the Volunteering Strategy is to ensure that volunteers are welcomed and valued by organisations which engage volunteers, and that they are given guidance, training and support to develop through volunteering, according to their individual needs and aspirations.

  Developing the skills base of those who manage volunteers – in both new and established organisations - will be key to developing efficient recruitment practice and ensuring appropriate training and a high quality volunteering experience. The network of 32 local volunteer centres and Volunteer Development Scotland will play an important role here. For example, Volunteer Development Scotland and the Volunteer Centre network will be delivering the Introductory Programme in Volunteers Management comprising five one day courses covering: Increasing Volunteer Effectiveness through Training and Development; Effective Volunteer Recruitment; Planning Strategically for Volunteer Involvement; Matching Volunteers to Tasks and Roles, and Supporting and Supervising Skills. Between January and March this year 95 one day courses will have been offered through local volunteer centres.

Waste Management

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when EU Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electronic and electrical equipment will be implemented.

Ross Finnie: The policy on implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive in the UK is currently under review, and an announcement on a timetable for implementation will be made in the spring.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the legal costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report; whether the external use of lawyers was subject to a competitive tendering process, and for which of the cases referred to in the annual report external lawyers were required.

John Scott: Following a competitive tendering process in 2003, the SPCB approved the commissioner’s determination to appoint Anderson Strathern as his legal advisers. In one case, a separate firm, Simpson and Marwick were used because of a potential conflict of interest. A breakdown of the legal costs referred to in table 2 of the commissioner’s Annual report is below. To maintain confidentiality, the invoices processed by the SPCB for individual cases are anonymised and we are therefore unable to identify which cases referred to in the annual report required external advice from lawyers.

  

Invoice Date
Invoice Number
Amount (inc VAT)


26/04/2004
PSC0001.14
£148.05


26/04/2004
PSC0001.4
£27.00


21/07/2004
PSC0001.13
£2,231.33


21/07/2004
PSC0001.14
£521.70


21/07/2004
PSC0001.15
£587.50


05/8/2004
SC040173/1
£881.25


05/11/2004
PSC0001.1
£1,165.60


05/11/2004
PSC0001.13
£1,623.85


05/11/2004
PSC0001.2
£1,903.50


14/01/2005
RIM/75/04
£2,474.55


14/01/2005
RIM/126/04
£2,245.43


10/01/2005
PSC0001.12
£712.05


10/01/2005
PSC0001.13
£573.40


14/04/2005
PSC0001.12
£1,943.45


14/04/2005
PSC0001.13
£1,043.40


14/04/2005
PSC0001.16
£5,157.67


14/04/2005
PSC0001.17
£536.98


14/04/2005
PSC0001.18
£1,128.00


18/04/2005
SCO40173/2
£1,762.50


Total
£26,667.21

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the other running costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.

John Scott: A breakdown of the other running costs referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standard’s 2004-05 Annual Report are as follows:

  

Other Running Costs
2003-04
(£)
2004-05
(£)


Conferences/training
320
745


Printing/translation
 
2,577


Travel and Expenses
1,360
2,938


Capital Costs (Transcription equipment and printer)
1,465
 


Transcriptions
437
989


Consumables (stationery, ink cartridges)
130
320


Accounting adjustments
 
-901


Total
3,712
6,668

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the salary/employment costs for 2003-04 and 2004-05 referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.

John Scott: A breakdown of the salary costs referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standard Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report are as follows:

  

 
2003-04
Acting Commissioner
  (£)
2003-04
Commissioner
  (£)
Total 2003-04
(£)
2004-05
Commissioner


Salary
4,823
36,500
41,323
43,435*


ERNIC
376
3,138
3,514
3,987


Pension
 
6,752
6,752
8,035


Total
5,199
46,390
51,589
55,457



  Note: *For two months of 2004-05 the commissioner was paid at the full-time rate rather than the usual half-time rate due to an increase in workload.

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many firms took part in any tendering process for the provision of legal services to the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.

John Scott: The commissioner has undertaken two competitive tendering exercises for the provision of legal services, one in 2003 and the other in 2005.

  On both occasions, the commissioner has invited six firms, from Edinburgh and Glasgow to tender for the provision of legal advice and support. On each occasion three firms have entered the tendering process and have been invited to make presentations to the commissioner. Their written bids and presentations have been judged against explicit criteria set by the commissioner and contained in the tendering documents.

Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05, as referred to in paragraph 63 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.

John Scott: As advised by the commissioner, the breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05 are as follows:

  

Services
Company
Invoice Date
Invoice Received
Period
Amount


Legal Advice
Simpson and Marwick
18/02/2004
20/01/2005
October 2003 to January 2004
£2,245.43


Legal Advice
Simpson and Marwick
14/01/2005
20/01/2005
22/01/2004 to 21/12/2004
£450


Legal Advice
Anderson Strathern
05/11/2004
17/11/2004
01/01/2004 to 30/09/2004
£437


Legal Advice
Anderson Strathern
05/11/2004
17/11/2004
2/10/2003 to 30/09/2004
£950


Total
 
 
 
 
£4,082.43